View from Minnesota

A look at Minnesota, Thursday’s opponent at Mackey Arena:

OVERVIEW

The Golden Gophers are off to their best 17-game start since the 2005-06 season at 13-4. They’ve beaten Ohio State and Wisconsin in Big Ten play, but lost to Michigan State in the conference opener. They’re on a two-game winning streak.

Minnesota has played one ranked team – Kansas on Dec. 2 – and lost 65-53. It’s longest streak was five, beating Denver, UMKC, Robert Morris, Northern Iowa and Creighton.

Coach Pam Borton’s roster features two seniors, but neither have started a game. Rachael Banham, Sari Noga, Kionna Kellogg and Micaella Riche have started all 17 games. Freshman Shayne Mullaney has started 10.

In her second season, Banham has established herself as one of the top players in the league. She needs 66 points to become the third Minnesota player to score 1,000 points in two seasons.

Banham. Proving that her freshman season wasn’t a fluke, the talented guard is averaging nearly 21 points. She’s reached double figures 16 times and has more help on the floor than last season.

Missed all 10 field goal attempts two games ago against Wisconsin and scored nine points, but bounced back with 24 points against the Buckeyes. Did struggle in last year’s two meetings with the Boilermakers, committing 12 turnovers but did managed to average 13 points. The Gophers are 15-4 when Banham scores 20 or more points.

NUMBERS TO NOTE

4

All-time wins at Mackey Arena to go with 22 losses.

6-21

Big Ten road record the last four seasons.

18.2

The Gophers’ 3-point shooting percentage (6 of 33) in conference games after making 35.1 percent against non-conference opponents.

57.1

Riche’s field goal percentage to rank 15th nationally.

SERIES HISTORY

The Boilermakers lead 39-17, including two wins last season. Brittany Rayburn roasted the Golden Gophers with 12 3-pointers at Williams Arena en route to a 72-55 win. Two weeks earlier, Purdue escaped Mackey Arena with a 57-53 win. The Gophers are 2-10 in the last 12 games and haven’t won in West Lafayette since 2005.

DID YOU KNOW

Minnesota has played two double overtime games this season. Always worth mentioning given Purdue’s history of overtime games since the start of the Big Ten season.